Kevin Hayler Brown made things a lot easier on himself this time around.
The undefeated junior welterweight held an early lead in a ten-round, unanimous decision over John Bauza. The scores were 98-91, 97-92 and 96-93 for Brown in their DAZN main event Friday night at Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Brown had to sweat out a split decision in his previous appearance on Most Valuable Promotions’ CELSIUS®-sponsored MVProspects Series in May. He made sure he had an early lead in this fight.
The undefeated Cuban dropped Bauza with a wicked right hand to the midsection in the final minute of the opening round. Bauza immediately jumped to his feet and made for the bell.
Momentum stayed in one direction through rounds two and three. Bauza was tense and often failed to let go of his hands even when he was close. Brown hit his left jab and was effective with right hands both inside and from long range.
Bauza tried to turn things around in the fourth. The Puerto Rican southpaw threw combinations and landed straight lefts. Brown laughed off the shot and immediately regained the lead. A flurry of power punches from Brown hurt Bauza towards the end of the round.
Bauza made adjustments in the second half of the fight. However, Brown’s corner – led by Ismael Salas – was more concerned about what didn’t happen to their fighter. The undefeated 30-year-old was not as active in his punch output, moments Bauza looked to exploit.
Brown was encouraged not to let Bauza back into the fight, even if his Boricua opponent was only winning moments and not rounds. Bauza constantly bounces to his feet and looks to land his straight left hand. Brown’s smooth head movement provided those opportunities, although he was verbally disciplined for low blows.
Desperation set in for Bauza in the final round. He was warned for a rush but continued to take the approach to make things difficult for Brown. Both fighters traded low blows midway through the round. Brown’s shot was returned with a right hand to the chin by Bauza, who then went very low. Two-way warnings have been issued to keep it clear along the stretch.
Brown improved to 6-0 (3 knockouts) with his second straight stop win. He avoided the canvas or any drama this time.
Bauza fell to 18-2 (8 KOs) with the second loss in his past three fights. He was knocked out by Richardson Hitchins (18-0. 7 KOs) last February in New York City.
UNDERMAP RESULTS
Hendri Cedeno (14-0, 11 KOs) won his second straight at Caribe Royale after a fifth round stoppage of Enriko Gogokhia (13-2-2, 8 KOs).
Their junior welterweight fight was entertaining through five rounds before its anticlimactic end. Gogokhia – a Georgian southpaw based in California – was unable to continue due to an injured left shoulder.
Yoelvis Gomez (8-1, 7 KOs) picked up his second straight win when Brazil’s Diego Ferreira retired after four rounds.
Action was all one way in favor of Gomez. A 26-year-old Cuban middleweight now based in Las Vegas. Ferreira (11-2, 7 KOs) was too game for his own good and bloodied near the end of the fourth. A three-press combination just before the bell hurt the Brazilian southpaw. Gomez was ready to inflict more punishment before Ferreira’s corner declared their man finished before the start of the fifth.
Opening the broadcast, Carlos Lebron and Luis Quiles fought to a four-round majority draw in their bantamweight bout. Lebron (3-1-1, 3 KOs) won 39-37 on one card, overtaking by scores of 38-38 and 38-38 to force the stalemate. Quiles (2-0-1, 1 KO) rallied hard after losing the first two rounds to take the third and fourth.
Off the TV, Brooklyn’s Harley Mederos (7-0, 6 KOs) stopped Nikolai Buzolin (9-10-1, 5 KOs) in the third round. Mederos – who is managed by Keith Connelly – rushed Buzolin and locked with a left hook to force the stoppage.
